29. Tyler
My kitchen window exploded as I tackled Owen, slamming his body against the table and onto the floor. The gun went flying.
Owen growled like a demon as I pinned him beneath me.
“Tyler!” Indiana shrieked.
“I’m okay. Are you hit?”
Her feet thumped on my floor as she raced to me. “I’m fine.”
“No!” Owen jerked and bucked underneath me.
“I have the gun.” Indiana’s voice was shrill.
She was still naked, holding the gun in two hands, ready to defend me.
“Put the gun on the bed and stay back.” I glared at her.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
“It’s over, Owen. It’s done,” I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion.
“Hey! Is everyone okay?” the voice yelled outside.
“Why didn’t you just walk away, Owen?” My vision blurred with my tears and anger. “Why?”
Tears streamed down Owen’s cheeks. “I hate you.”
“You silly boy. You could have walked away from all the bullshit, but all you’ve done is added another crime to your family legacy.”
“I don’t have a family. You killed them all.” A sob tore from his throat, and it wrapped around my heart like razor wire.
Sirens blared outside, and strobing blue lights lit up my home as they screeched to a stop next to my car.
I rolled Owen onto his front and pinned his arms behind him. “I’ll help you as much as I can. I promise.”
“I don’t want your fucking help.”
“You don’t have a choice.” I pressed my knee into his back. “Now shut up and do as you’re instructed.”
“Police! Open up.”
“I’m Detective Tyler Kingsley,” I yelled through the door. “I have the situation contained, and the gunman restrained.”
“Open the door!” a woman yelled.
Gripping Owen’s wrists with one hand, I could just reach the lock. I shoved the door open, and bright lights blinded me.
“Don’t shoot.” I raised one hand. “I’m Detective?—”
“Kingsley?” Lacey lowered her gun and stepped up my stairs. “What the hell happened?”
Relief washed through me. “Give me your handcuffs.”
As I snapped the cuffs onto Owen’s wrists, I leaned into his ear. “Just do as they say.”
Owen’s body sagged as if his blood had drained out of him.
I lifted him to his feet. “I will help you, so don’t do anything stupid.”
He walked down the steps like his feet were in concrete blocks.
Lacey took over from me. “Come on, let’s go.”
She gave Owen a nudge in his back.
“You okay?” Captain Watts scowled at me.
“Yeah, just shook up, that’s all.”
“I told you to get some rest.”
“Yeah. We had an unexpected visitor.”
“This have anything to do with Chui?” he asked.
“No. This relates to Operation Vivid.”
He cocked his head as if trying to figure out how he recognized that name.
“I’ll come to the station and give my statement.”
“No, you won’t.” He hitched up his pants. “He can spend the night in lockup. I’ll take your statement now, then you can get your sleep.”
“Yes, sir.” I huffed; I doubted I could sleep now.
“Okay, people, show’s over.” As Watts shooed the crowd away, he pulled his phone from his pocket.
Indiana wrapped her arms around me, and as I squeezed her to my chest, rubbing my hand up the T-shirt she’d put on, Owen was guided into the back of the squad car.
People returned to their homes and the flashing lights stopped, casting dark shadows across the area again. Peace returned to Rosebud Caravan Park.
A figure emerged from behind a tree at the edge of the park, and my breath hitched.
Wesley’s ghost.
He looked different, clearer, somehow. His shoulders weren’t braced for a fight. They were relaxed. For the first time, he looked like the young boy I knew and loved. He looked at peace.
Squeezing Indiana to my chest, I mouthed, I’m sorry to Wesley’s ghost.
Wesley nodded, and rather than give me the bird, he smiled and walked away.
The squad car pulled away from my trailer, leaving me standing outside my van in the familiar darkness. I let out a shaky breath, trying to make sense of what happened.
My heart ached for Owen’s pain. I couldn’t bear to see him go to jail, but he had to face the consequences of his actions.
Indiana pulled back from my chest, her eyes searching mine. “Are you okay?”
She pressed her hand to my bare chest, right over my heart.
I cupped her cheek. “I am now.”
“Any other threats from your past I need to worry about?” She cocked an eyebrow.
“I did warn you. Although I expected his mother to be the one to aim a gun at me, not Owen.”
“He said she was dead. Do you believe him?”
Frowning, I tried to picture Owen burying his mother with his own hands. As much as his mother had tried to protect her sons, they were born into the Bolton family, and they’d seen things that nobody should see, let alone kids.
“Yeah, I do,” I said, but I needed Owen to reveal where he’d buried her body to be absolutely sure. It would be nice to confirm that part of my life was completely behind me.
I searched the area beyond the tree and had a feeling that I’d just seen the last of Wesley. Maybe he was happy now that his brother would be looked after. I had every intention of making sure Owen got the support he needed to turn his life around.
Indiana turned to me with a sassy smile. “I know I’ve said this before, but . . . you sure know how to show a girl a good time.”
I chuckled. “And I repeat my reply. You weren’t complaining earlier.”
I captured her mouth with mine, and when she leaned into my body, our kiss deepened. My life was in tatters before I met Indiana, but she was making me feel whole again. Like my life was worth living.
And I couldn’t wait to see what our next adventure was.
Provided it didn’t include assholes shooting at us.
The next couple of hours were swallowed up with Indiana and I giving our separate testimonials of Owen’s attack, patching a sheet of tin over my shattered kitchen window, the forensics team photographing my trailer and digging the bullet out of the tree beyond my kitchen window, and my repeated requests to Captain Watts to go easy on Owen.
It was nearly three in the morning before the commotion was all over, and I crawled into bed again with Indiana in my arms.
Sunlight filtered through my trailer home, casting a muted glow across the tiny space. Last night’s chaos crashed through my thoughts, and I still couldn’t believe what had happened. All this time, I’d been worried about Nikki. Not once had I thought Owen would be a threat. He had been nearly sixteen when I’d last seen him. He had grown a lifetime in the last two years.
I hated that he would suffer because he came after me. Attacking a police officer came with serious punishment. He had already suffered for years. He didn’t need this.
I dragged my thoughts away from Owen to the beautiful woman in my arms. Indiana’s chest rose and fell against mine. Her long brown hair sprawled across her pillow, and the jagged scar on her forehead seemed to have paled overnight.
She was fast asleep, with her gorgeous pale pink lips sitting slightly ajar. My fingertips itched to trace the line of that scar. It proved she was a survivor. After everything she’d been through, Indiana oozed untamed defiance. It made me happy that she was at peace.
A sense of relief washed over me. It was like all the missing puzzle pieces in my life had finally slotted into place. I had a feeling that the ghost who had haunted me was finally at peace, too.
“What are you staring at?” Indy mumbled.
I blinked at her. She still had her eyes closed.
“I can feel those blue eyes of yours piercing my brain.”
I pressed my lips to the scar on her forehead. “Go back to sleep.”
She wriggled closer to me, and her stunning amber eyes fluttered open. “You promised a morning delight.”
I chuckled. “Go back to sleep, you crazy woman.”
She pulled a sad face, and it was the cutest expression. I kissed the sadness from her lips.
“I have to go to work, but I promise we’ll have some evening delight when I get home.”
“Hmmm, promise.” She pinched my nipple.
“Ow.” I gripped her hand in mine. “Yes, I promise. Now go back to sleep. I’ll bring home dinner for us.”
“Okay.” She curled her hand beneath her cheek, in the same pose that she’d done in that holding cell at the police station. She’d looked deceptively innocent then. She looked absolutely stunning now. I wished I could sit here and watch her all day.
My dick throbbed, and I untangled the sheets off my body before I couldn’t ignore the urge awakening my groin.
I had work to do. I grabbed my watch from the shelf.
Christ, it’s nearly eleven o’clock. I had never slept that late.
As I dressed, I caught glimpses of Indy watching me, and I was torn between my duty to work and jumping back into bed with her. But my mind kept snagging on Owen. I had to be there for him.
Fully dressed, I crawled up her body, and she rolled over to greet me.
“Change your mind, handsome?” The corners of her mouth lifted in a half-smile that was all Indiana—brazen and beautiful.
“Believe me, I would love to spend the day in bed with you.” I kissed her, and she curled her hand around my neck, pinning me in position.
Chuckling, I pulled back. “Save those kisses for later.”
I climbed off her.
“Don’t be too long, or I’ll start without you.”
“Ooh, now that’s something I absolutely want to see.”
She giggled, and it was like I’d broken through one of her defenses.
Trying to simmer the ache in my cock, I grabbed my car keys and left with my mind racing between the tasks I had to do once I reached the station and the gorgeous woman waiting for me when I returned.
The station was a hive of activity, and it seemed that everyone was in the house. I shouldered my way through the personnel to the coffee machine.
“Kingsley,” someone shouted at me from across the room.
I turned with my steaming mug in my hand.
Officer Cooper stood up behind his desk. “You’ve got nine lives, man.”
I raised my mug. “If I did, then I’ve just used up several of them.”
Anderson stood behind the desk next to Cooper. “That’s some serious shit you dealt with. Glad you’re still upright.”
“Thanks.” I nodded at them, and as I strode to the holding cells, I wondered just how much they knew about the last couple of days.
At the entrance to the holding cells, a woman in a blue suit stood by the door. Her posture was rigid, yet her eyes held a glimmer of something softer. The paperwork on the clipboard in her hand confirmed she was from juvenile corrections.
“Hi, I’m Officer Kingsley.”
“Janet Sommers.”
“Can I have a moment with Owen, please?” I asked.
“Sure. I need a break anyway.” She hooked the clipboard under her arm, and her sensible shoes squeaked on the floor as she strolled away.
I entered the room, which contained four holding cells, but Owen was the only detainee. He sat on the concrete seat at the back and was staring at his knees.
Owen’s bloodshot eyes swept to me as I walked to his cell, but he snapped his gaze away.
“Hi, Owen.” I strode to the front of his cell and gripped the bars.
He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. He just stared at the wall like it held all the answers he needed.
He looked so lost and alone. It was a brutal replication of his life.
Owen’s father died in that shootout along with Wesley. His two uncles died in jail, and Owen said his mom was also dead. That meant Owen wasn’t just an orphan, he was also the sole survivor of a family that had been waging war on their enemies for decades.
I wanted to tell him I loved him and I forgave him for trying to kill me, but he wouldn’t believe me. “Owen, you are better than the family you were born into. You can make a new life for yourself and become the man your mom wanted you to be.”
“What about Mom’s life? And Wesley’s? Huh? You ended their lives.”
My heart ached, and I wished I could convey how much I hated what I did.
“You’re only seventeen, Owen. It’s not too late to end your family legacy here and turn your life around.”
“Leave me alone!” The tendons in his neck bulged.
“Whenever you need me, I’m just a phone call away. I’m going to be there for you. I owe you that.”
“I don’t want your fucking help.” He sucked his lips into his mouth like he was fighting his emotions.
“I’m giving it to you anyway. I’m doing it for you and Wesley and your mom.”
“Go away!” He flared his bloodshot eyes at me, and his chin quivered.
I was a heartbeat off repeating that I loved him when I honored his wishes and walked away.
Janet was in the hallway with her back against the wall. She cocked one eyebrow at me, and I knew she’d overheard my discussion with Owen.
I ran my hand through my hair. “Owen was handed a raw deal when he was born to his monster father. He’s hurting and full of rage, but I don’t believe he’s beyond saving.”
Her expression softened. “Good to know, but what are you asking me to do?”
“Go easy on him.” I met her gaze, determined to show her the plea etched in my words. “He’s seen things and been through hell that would break most grown men.”
She nodded. In her position, she probably met many kids who were lumped with similar burdens.
“Listen,” I leaned into her ear. “Owen told me he buried his mother with his own hands. We need to find out where her body is.”
Her jaw dropped. “Did he kill his mother?”
“No. I shot his mom, Nikki Bolton, during a police raid, but she got away. I didn’t know she was dead until Owen said so last night.”
A frown corrugated her forehead, and I wasn’t sure she believed me.
“There’s an entire backstory to Owen that’s tied to an undercover operation. I’m not sure how much I can tell you, but I’ll find out, and when you have a few hours to spare, let me know.”
“Yeah, right. And how do you think you can help Owen?” The question wasn’t accusatory but probing.
“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure his sentence is kept to a minimum. I’m just grateful that he’s not eighteen yet and can be tried as a juvenile. If I can keep him out of prison, I will.”
She raised her hands. “Hold your horses, Kingsley. He attacked a police officer.”
“He didn’t know I was a cop. I was undercover when he knew me. I was hired as his family’s driver, and I became Owen and Wesley’s friend. He was blinded by rage, so he wasn’t thinking straight.”
She studied me, then nodded once, crisp and professional. “I’ll do what I can. No promises.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that. Call me whenever you need my help.”
I strode away from her with relief flooding my veins, yet I knew my plea was a longshot. As I headed for Captain Watts’ office, everyone glanced in my direction, and I had no idea why. I felt like a criminal running the gauntlet. The captain’s blinds were closed, which didn’t happen very often, and I was a beat off walking away when I changed my mind and knocked.
The door opened, and Ryder nodded at me. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Ryder. I wasn’t expecting—” I cut my comment short as I stepped into the room. Aria, Cobra, and Lacey were also in the captain’s office. “I wasn’t expecting a full house.”
“You’re just in time. You get some sleep?” the captain asked.
“Yes. Some. Thanks.”
“Good. We have a load of crap to get through. Grab a seat.”
Cobra, Lacey, and Aria were in chairs across the desk from the captain. Ryder remained standing and leaned against the wall with his arms folded. I took the remaining seat between Lacey and Cobra.
Lacey handed me a full plastic bag. “Whisper and I gathered some clothes for Indiana. Tell her to call me if she needs anything.”
“Thanks. I will.”
“Don’t let her refuse,” Ryder said. “She can be stubborn like that.”
I huffed. “Don’t I know it.”
“Seems like you two are getting on just fine.” The overhead lights twinkled in Aria’s black eyes. “Now, down to business. We believe the hard drive you found belonged to Chui’s accountant.”
“Oh wow.” My jaw dropped. “I can’t believe you’ve cracked it already.”
Aria nodded at Cobra. “Told you he was brilliant.”
Cobra shrugged. “It’s a Pandora’s box full of encrypted accounts located all over the world.”
“More like a global web of dirty fucking money,” Watts added.
I whistled. “That’s brilliant news. Have you accessed those accounts?”
Cobra shook his head, yet his eyes lit up. “I’m working on it. There’s some serious encryption on them, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Whoever set the device up knew what they were doing.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to trace it back to who still has access to the money?” I asked.
“Not sure yet,” Cobra said. “It’s going to take some time to follow the tracks.”
“Any chance this accountant is that dead pilot on the bottom of the ocean?” Ryder asked me. Thinking it through, I shook my head. “If he is, then you have to wonder why the person who shot him didn’t take the hard drive.”
“Maybe they tried to but had to jump out of the plane before it ditched,” Ryder said.
“But if they parachuted out, why didn’t they take the case with them?” Aria asked.
“Unless the crash happened too fast,” Lacey said.
“So, we don’t have any idea who the dead pilot is?” I asked.
Watts leaned back on his chair, and it creaked under the shift of weight. “A pilot was reported missing by his ex-wife two months back. We don”t have confirmation yet that he”s our guy at the bottom of the ocean, but there’s been no report of a missing plane that I could find.”
“It was a seaplane, so it could have come from along the coastline, or any of the islands out there,” I said.
“Or the rivers,” Watts added. “And it could have flown for hours before it ditched. We need to get hold of the black box on the plane and find out where it came from. That’s where you and your team come in, Ryder. I want you to get down there ASAP.”
“Yes, sir,” Ryder said. “We’ll finally have one of our patrol boats back in the water in two days.”
“Good,” Watts said, “and I want you to bring up that pilot, too. We’ll get the coroner to identify him for us. That will give us another lead.”
My thoughts jumped to the last time I saw our coroner, Whitney. “Sir, I haven’t heard how many bodies were located at Angelsong Orphanage.”
Aria and Watts groaned at the same time.
“Seventeen,” Watts said.
“Jesus.” My chest caved. “Those poor kids. Is Whitney working on identifying them, too?”
“Yes. Poor bastard is fucking busy.” Watts scraped his hand over his head. “Between those orphans and the bodies from the shipping container, this damn town is heading for the record books for all the wrong reasons.”
“And all roads lead back to that bastard Zǐháo Chui.” Aria clenched her jaw so hard it was a wonder her teeth didn’t crack.
“You say a woman reported her ex-husband pilot missing two months ago,” I said, “but that doesn’t fit with the timeline of Chui’s death. So how does?—?”
“She reported him missing two months ago,” Watts cut in, “but they were estranged, so he could have been missing for much longer than that.”
“A missing pilot is a coincidence that’s too neat to ignore.” I nodded at Aria.
“Agreed,” she said. “Maybe the accountant got triggered when Chui died and tried to run with Chui’s money.”
Everyone nodded, mulling over that scenario.
“Was anyone else reported missing three months ago?” I asked.
Watts shook his head. “Nobody so far.”
“So, after the pilot gets shot, whoever else was on the plane left behind precious intel that leads to a fortune,” Lacey said.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Watts said, scowling.
“If it was Chui’s accountant who was on the plane, and he survived the crash, then surely he would have dived down to the wreck to retrieve that hard drive,” Ryder said.
I sat forward. “Unless he doesn’t know where the plane is.”
I explained to them how the device didn’t start beeping until we were ten feet from the surface.
“Okay, that’s an interesting twist.” Aria’s eyes darkened.
“Within forty minutes of us bringing that hard drive onto Indiana’s boat, we were attacked by a drone.”
Cobra whistled. “A drone attack? Holy hell.”
“It’s a miracle you survived,” Lacey said.
“Tell me about it. Whoever was controlling that drone was ready to deploy it as soon as the signal was received. But that’s not all.” I explained how Indiana and I got away using her underwater scooter and how we were attacked again by the men from the helicopter as soon as we landed on Wombat Island.
“Christ.” Ryder shifted his stance. “That’s some serious shit.”
I explained the chase over the island and how Indiana and I fought them off to protect the device.
Aria leaned forward so she could look at me better. “We are truly grateful for what you and Indiana did. The intel on that hard drive provides a major turning point in this case.”
“Thanks.” I explained how the two men who attacked us met their ends.
“He jumped? Christ.” Cobra winced.
“Ryder, I need you to retrieve the bodies of the two men who died on the island, too,” Watts said.
“Yes, sir. Will do,” Ryder said.
“You’ll need a shovel to scrape them off the rocks.” I screwed up my face. “Sorry.”
“We’re lucky it’s not your bodies at the bottom of the cliff,” Aria said.
“Indiana was incredibly brave. She put her life on the line for that gadget.” I nodded at the hard drive on the table. “She deserves the recognition. She lost everything, including her dad, to salvage that.”
Aria leveled a hard gaze on me. “I’ll make sure she is fully compensated, and I will personally thank her for everything she’s done.”
“Thanks. Indiana needs that help. Without Rhino she lost her home and her career and, oh, that reminds me . . .” I glanced at Ryder. “When you go to Wombat Island, we left our wetsuits on the beach on the western side. In Indiana’s wetsuit, you’ll find her mother’s gold locket. Can you get it, please? It’s the only thing she has left of her mother.”
“Of course.” Ryder nodded.
“Poor Indiana.” Lacey shook her head.
“Before one of the men, Clark, jumped to his death, he told me he had no idea who he worked for, but they call him The Eye.”
“What the fuck kind of name is that?” Watts rolled his eyes.
“Clark said they called him that because he sees everything.”
“Sees everything? What does that mean?” Watts barked.
I huffed. “I don’t know. He had a drone, chopper, and men on the ground. Maybe he has satellite feeds, too.”
“That would explain how he got the signal on the hard drive so quickly,” Cobra said.
“Really? How does someone hack into a satellite?” Lacey asked.
“It’s not that hard.” Cobra wriggled his eyebrows at Aria. “Is it?”
She shook her head but didn’t elaborate.
“What else did Clark say?” She pivoted the conversation back to me.
“Well, this is the bit that tipped him over the edge.”
“Literally,” Cobra joked. “Sorry.”
“Yeah. When he said he’d never met or spoken to The Eye, I asked him how he got the job, which, by the way, he was paid in cash. A thousand bucks a week delivered to him in a blank envelope.”
“A thousand bucks a week.” Watts scowled. “Lucky for some.”
“So, how did he get the job?” Aria asked.
“Remember Wax? Thomas Wexler?”
She squinted at me. “Yes. One of the boy’s names from the orphanage.”
“Yes, and also the name of the bastard who shot our Border Force boat to shit,” Ryder said.
“That’s him.” I nodded. “Clark got the job with The Eye through him. And when I told Clark that Wax was dead, he started yelling that The Eye saw everything. That’s when he jumped off the cliff.”
“Christ. That’s messed up,” Watts said.
I nodded. “He preferred to die than be taken into custody.”
“Whoever this Eye is, he’ll do anything to get his hands on this device.” Watts shoved the hard drive with the end of his pen.
“And we can also assume he’s the same bastard who was trying to get their hands on the DIMS tracker that was located on Chui’s sunken yacht,” Ryder added.
“Have you found any more information on the DIMS?” I asked Cobra.
Cobra puffed out his cheeks. “Just like the hard drive, it’s heavily encrypted. It pinpointed the drug den in the Everglades, and the plane where you found the hard drive.”
I clicked my fingers. “So that confirms the details on that DIMS is connected to Chui.”
“Correct,” Aria said.
Cobra nodded. “I know there are more tracking locations on the DIMS, but the computer was severely compromised from being submerged.
“We already raided one site, but it turned out to be wrong,” Aria said.
“Damn,” I said. “What about the woman named B? Any more information on her?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“Whoever wanted these devices is going to be very pissed off that we have them.” Lacey’s pale gray eyes were sharp. She may have looked young, but Lacey seemed to have a depth to her police career that I wasn’t aware of. The fact that she was in this room proved she brought some unique skills. I made a mental note to spend more time getting to know her.
Aria scowled. “We have to assume the bastard either wants to take over Chui’s drug empire, or they already have.”
Watts groaned. “And that means we all have very serious targets on our backs.”
I thought Nikki’s death and Owen’s capture was the end of me looking over my shoulder, but these salvaged items just triggered a whole new set of people who wanted us dead.
And now Indiana was in the sights of a well-funded madman, too.
Captain Watts pushed back on his chair. “Thanks to you and Indiana, we have a couple of significant leads to work with. We’ll find these fucking bastards and put an end to all this bullshit.”
“Or they’ll find us,” I murmured.
“We’ll get them.” Aria clenched her jaw, and her dark eyes turned to stone.
“We have a lot going on, so let’s keep a tight lid on this.” Watts tapped his pen on the hard drive. “And any new intel we get. Ryder, let me know once you have those bodies to the coroner.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I want you two investigating those bodies.” He nodded at Lacey and me. “We need to find out who they are and how they are involved in this mess.”
“Yes, sir,” Lacey and I said in unison.
“Cobra and I will keep working on the intel on these devices and keep you in the loop,” Aria said.
“Appreciated.” Watts stood, and we all stood with him and said our goodbyes.
Outside his door, Aria approached me.
“Do you have a minute?” She led me outside and turned to Cobra, who was trailing us. “I’ll hitch a ride back to Risky Shores with you. Don’t go away.”
“Sure. I’ll get the car.” He bounded away and disappeared around the side of the station.
“Listen, I’ve been thinking about Indiana and her situation, and I’m wondering if we can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Wolf Security has a chopper and a pilot, but this latest situation highlighted how inadequate we are when both are out of action. A lot of our trouble has come from off our shores, too, and we don’t always have Border Force at our disposal. So I’m thinking Wolf Security needs to invest in a boat.”
I cocked my head. “And?”
“And Indiana would be more than capable of captaining that boat and providing ocean support when we need it. Her scuba diving skills would be invaluable.”
I nodded, seeing where she was going with that. “It sounds great, but I can’t answer for Indiana. She is her own woman and?—”
“I’m not asking you to answer for her. I just need you to stop her from doing anything crazy until I can get a few ducks in line.”
“Crazy how?”
She puffed out her cheeks. “Not exactly sure. She’ll need to lodge an insurance claim, and I’ll get involved to make sure she gets every cent. I would just like to hold her off buying a new boat until I can offer her one from Wolf Security.”
“Are you thinking of another salvage boat?”
“No. I have something else in mind.”
She didn’t elaborate, so I said, “Indiana is a wildcat. I’m not sure I can stop her from doing anything.”
Aria chuckled. “You’ve got that right. She’s a strong woman, but it doesn’t mean she doesn’t need someone looking out for her.”
I had a feeling that was coming straight from her own experience.
A car pulled around to the front of the station, and Cobra waved to us.
“Oh.” I clicked my fingers. “I nearly forgot. Have you heard of Kane Devlin?”
She rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately. What about him?”
“He rescued Indiana and me off Wombat Island.”
“Yes, I heard. And?”
“Well, he kind of made us promise that we would introduce him to you.”
She groaned. “He’s been trying to get in front of me for months. Any idea why?”
“He said he had information about the missing Nazi gold.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Ever since that documentary went out about the gold, you wouldn’t believe the number of people who have tried to pry information from me. Damn treasure hunters are like leeches.”
“He seemed genuine to me.”
“Except he bribed you into introducing me to him. And why? Because he answered that mayday call. Sounds dodgy to?—”
“No. Not because of that. He offered for Indiana to use his boat if she wanted to return to some dive site. It seemed important to her.”
She groaned. “Okay, only because it’s Indiana. If Kane takes her to this site and she’s happy, then I’ll give him twenty minutes of my time.”
“Thank you. That’s very helpful.”
“Anyway, I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch. And keep my boat idea between us until I can work some things through.”
“Copy that. But don’t take too long. Indiana is very impatient.”
As Aria climbed in and Cobra drove away, my thoughts bounced to Indiana. I would do anything to look out for her. Just like I did for my parents.
My heart launched to my throat, and I marched back inside and knocked on the captain’s open door.
“Come in, Kingsley.”
I sat down. “Sir, you know the details of Operation Vivid, correct?”
Nodding, he pressed his hands together. “I do.”
I told him about Owen’s confession of burying his mother.
He scowled. “Do you believe him?”
“Yes, sir, I do. And that means I can finally contact my parents.”
“Don’t you want to wait for proof of Nikki’s death?”
“No, sir. It’s already been too long.”
“Okay then, what do you need from me?”
“I need their phone number and a new phone. Mine went down with Indiana’s boat, remember?”
“Get Sally to sort you out with a replacement phone.” He pointed out his window, across the station, to our office manager. “I’ll get the number for your parents.”
“Thank you.”
Nearly an hour later, with my new phone and Dad’s phone number in my pocket, I strode out the front door and across the road to the park. I sat on the park bench under the shade of a massive Jacaranda tree, and as I looked out to the distant ocean, I dialed my dad’s phone number. My heart pounded in my ears as I waited to hear his voice.
“Hello.”
Goosebumps shivered over my skin. “Oh, hi, Dad. It’s Tyler.”
“Tyler! Carol, come here,” he yelled to Mom. “It’s Tyler.”
“It’s great to hear your voice, Dad. Are you okay?”
“We are. Give me the phone,” Mom butted in. “Tyler, is that you?”
“Hi, Mom.”
Her breath hitched. “Oh wow, it’s so good to hear you.”
“You too, Mom. I’ve missed you.”
“You too. We saw you on the news,” Mom said.
“Is everything all right?” Dad said. “We saw that sunken yacht you brought in. It’s been all over the news.”
“Yes, Dad. Everything is perfect.”
As the sun traveled overhead and a pair of magpies gave me the evil eye, I tried to catch up on the two years I’d missed in their lives. We cried. We laughed. Dad attempted a few terrible jokes, but most of all, we were all relieved to have the evil Bolton family behind us.
“Does this mean you can return to Melbourne?” Mom’s voice was loaded with hope.
“Actually, Mom, I’ve met a woman.”
Mom gasped, all hopeful. “You have?”
The last time Mom was aware of any of my relationships was when I was eighteen, and that had lasted for just two months. “Yes, she’s amazing, and I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
“What’s her name?” Mom asked.
“Indiana. Indiana Smith.”
“That salvage woman?” Dad said. He didn’t miss a thing.
“When can we meet her?” Mom said.
“I don’t know, Mom.” I gave them a summary of what happened to her boat but skimmed over Old Smithy’s death. That conversation was for another time. “So once things settle down a bit, we’ll get together. I promise.”
And that was a promise I absolutely would keep.
Just like my promise to Indiana for some afternoon delight.
After a few more probing questions from Mom and Dad, I said goodbye to them, telling them I would call again soon.
For the first time in my life, I cut my work shift short so I could head home to Indiana.
I’d never thought it was possible to miss a woman so much.
Especially when I’d only known her for such a short amount of time, but Indiana was in my mind. I could see her. . . and somehow still smell her.
My cock throbbed just thinking of her.
But she was so much more than just a throb in my groin. She was a soothing balm to my soul.
I wanted her. I needed her.
It was like I’d been waiting my whole life for her.
Am I in love? Yes . . . I am.
The realization hit me like a thunderbolt, and my heart stopped.
The admission was too soon. Too soon for me, and way too soon for Indiana. She was still grieving for her dad and recovering from her loss.
I needed to wait.
I just hoped I didn’t have to wait too long.
Or that she didn’t share the same feelings.